Boat



F. M. HEN RY Jl lly "3, 1928.

BOAT

Filed Feb. 5, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet @miw [Frauds/11222121 9 fly 1 July 3, 1928.

F. M. HEN RY BOAT Filed Feb. 5, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I. re :9

UUUQUUUUU UU DU July 3, 1928. 1,675,606

F. M. HENRY BOAT Filed Feb. 3, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 71 lijm/fggj'mjy fig 1115 W Patented July 3, 1928. a i I s 1,675,606 *UFN $1 TFElD AiTiEl'S .CJZE.

um 1M.HENRY, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

BOAT.

Application filearebrua ye, 1.927. SerialiNo. 16 5.555.

My present invention relates to improvethehull. Said concave section 19, together ments in boats and more particularly to with thc connected portions otthe convex poweigprope led boats of the type commonly sectionszl8, afl'ordatunnel 20 which extends callcdtow boats. Said invention further the full ilength .ot the hull and is .unob- .60

provides a novel arrangement of coupling structed. This tunnel forms one, ofthe liar-gas in respect to the impro ved tow boat. saliel eatures ofthe invention.

[While the improved tow boatis intended lt will: he noted that thehuil is relatively for. general use, it is especially designed for deep at its side sections and relatively shaluse in shallow channels. low at its intermediate section. It Willalso 05 l Generally stated, the invention consists be .IlOted that the crown of the tunnel-20 of the novel devices and combinations of deissubstantially at the surface of the va'ter m vices hereinafter described and defined in so thatthe bottom of thetwo boat rests on the claims. the water throughout its full width.

In the accompanying drawings, which il- .Two laterally spaced sponsons 21 areqo 15 lnstrate the invention; like characters ind} formed as integral parts of thefhull and rate likepa'rtsthroughouttheseveral views. formrear extensions of thedeep side sec- Referring totheldrawings: tions thereof at the sidesot the tnnnel2l). Fig. 1 is a plan viewof a. tow boat and 1t Willbe noted that the two pairs of girders fleetottharges having the invention em- 1.3 extend'into the sponsons 21andflforn1t5 2c b di d therein; parts thereof. The deck 16 extends rear- Fig. 2 a tront.e1evation 0f the barges ward and covers the-two sponsons 121. onan enlarged scale; Heavy bumpers 22 are rigidly secured to Fig. isa. side elevation oftheimproved the prow oi? the hull in alignment with the tow hoat; two inner girders 13 and the; two intermediso Fig. 4 is a plan view ofithesa ne, with ate ir 14:- A hea y transverse h l'lWhsome .p artsremoved tal umper 23 is rigidly secured to therear Fig. 5 is a viewin longitudinal vertical ends-oftlle spo s nsand forms a crossscction taken on the line ,5-5 of Fig. 4; tie memherforsaid sponsons.

Fig. 6 is a rear-yie vv of theimproved tow 1F rent, intermediate and .rear trusses 24 .ss boat with the bumpeinremoved; extend transversely abovelthedeck 16 and V Fig. 7 is a tragmentaryview partly in form;extensionsofcertainof the g irders lf). elevation and partly in transverse vertical Builtonthe deck 16 around the trusses 24 section taken on the line 7-.-7 of Fig. AL; is a housing 25 having the necessaryldoors and r and. windows, and itwillbe noted that this :90 Figs. 8 to 11, inclusive, areyiews in. trans, housing covers both sponsons2l. A.veirtiverse vertical sections taken on the lines cally movablepilotghduse 26estends through 8-8, 9-.9, 10 410 and .11-..11 of Fi 4, the topof the housing 25 at. the front there res 'iectively, with some partsremove jot. y'llhepurposeotthus nountingthejpilot The hull of the tow boat includes asteel house QG is to permit the same to he ,low- 95 shelllQ built around a steel structure. This ered so that the boat may go under low steel structure, as shown, includes two latbridges. Various ditl'erent means may he erally spaced longitudinal girders .13 at each employed fonraising and. lowering the pilot side of the hull, two. intermediate longitudihouseQbf, such as heavy screwsj27'. one of naLgirders 14, and a plurality of transverse which is shown in 3. Extending 1 girders .15. The :hull'has a closed deck lti. through the roof of the housing Qijust hack and the longitudinal girders 13 and Hand of the pilot house 26 is a stack 28 torj e x-t the transverse girders 15 divide thehull, into haust gases from a the engines. These pod a plurality of bulk heads 17. Thesebulk estals 31: are mounted fdirectlyoven the girdheads 17 {may be used for the storage of ers 1 5 .and; rigidly securedin respect thereto. 1105 fuel oil, and if necessary, certain thereof may A paddle wheel29 \comprisesdwvo axially be nsed. for -water ballast. I I i sp acedisections independently .journaled on Theibottom ofthehull, at the. sides thereaefixed horizontal transverse shaftBO the of,has convex sections 18 and between said end portions of which arerigidly secured in sections an arched or concavesection 19. pairs of axially spaced pedestals fil onthe 11 The outer longitudinal edgeiportions ofthe vsponsons 21 at the longitudinal centers thereconvex section 18 extend into the sides of of. As the shaft 30 is rigidlymsecured to the sponsons 21 by the pedestals 31, it affords a rigid crosstie member for said sponsons. Anti-friction bearings are interposed between the paddle wheel sections and the shaft 30.

A motor bed 32 is located over each spon son 21 and has a three-point suspension. The front end of each motor bed 32 is in the form of a V and is supported on the deck 16, at the transverse center of said bed, by a ball and socket joint 33. These ball and socket joints 33 are located directly over the transverse girders between the stern of the hull and the sponsons 21. On the rear ends of the side members of the motor beds 32 are; axially aligned bearings 34 journaled on the shaft between the pairs of pedestals 31.

Mounted on each motor bed 32 is an electric motor 35 having on the inner end of its shaft a spur pinion 36 which meshes with a spur gear 37 on the adjacent end of the paddle wheel 29. Obviously, the threepoint suspension of the motor beds 32 and the location of two of their bearings on the fixed shaft 30 always keep the motors 35 permanently and definitely positioned in respect to the shaft 30, irrespective of any warping or twisting of the hull of the boat. With the motors 35 thus mounted, their p nions 36 always accurately mesh with the gears 37.

It is highly important to note that the paddle wheel 29 is directly back of the tunnel 20 so as to get the full benefit of all water passing through said tunnel. A splash board 38 for the paddle wheel 29 is located in front thereof and mounted on the tog of the housing 25.

wo laterally spaced Diesel engines 39 are mounted on the deck 16 in balanced arrangement at the front of the hull. Directly back of each of these engines 39 is a generator, 40.

For the purpose of this case it will not be necessary to show the wiring from the generators 40 to the motors 35. Neither is it necessary to show the control of each motor 35 which will be located in the pilot house 26..

On the deck 16, at each side of the hull, is a plurality of cleats 41 for use in tying u the tow boat to a dock, and at the prow 0 said boat is a pair of cleats 42.

A pair of laterally spaced rudders 43 are mounted on the hull and located in the tunnel 20 at the rear end thereof, and a pair of rudders 44 are mounted on the sponsons 21 and located thereunder. These rudders 43 and 44 are of the balanced type and the controls therefor are not shown.

Mounted on the deck 16, forward of the housing 25, is a pair of bitts 45.

The tow boat just described is especially adapted for use in shallow channels. Even when the deepest part of the hull is just out of contact with the bed of a channel or when passing over a sand bar or shoal, the paddle wheel 29 is getting the full benefit of all of the water to substantiall its full depth as the same passes through tie tunnel 20. The provision of the tunnel 20 makes boat. \Vhen going with the current, the.

boat may be propelled by only one section of the paddle wheel 29 and hence only one motor need be operated. Said paddle wheel 29 is fully protected by the hull and sponsons 21 at the front and sides and at the rear by the heavy bumper 23.

lVhile reference has been made to only the longitudinal and transverse girders and the transverse trusses, the boat will be urther reinforced by crosstie rods and the like.

In Fig. 1 the tow boat is shown pushing a fleet of four barges loaded with coal 2'. These barges 46 are arranged in front and rear pairs, the latter of which are, directly engaged by the bumpers 22 and the barges of the two pairs having abutting contact. I

The two front and rear pairs of barges 46 are held laterally spaced, to leave a channel 47 therebetween, by a pair of heavy frames 48. These frames 48 directly engage the opposing sides of each pair of barges 46 and have laterally projecting top members 49 which rest on the top of the decks of said barges and support the frame 48 therefrom. The rear pair of barges 46 is lashed to each other and to the tow boat by a cable 50 passed around the cleats 42. Thefour barges 46 at their adjacent ends are lashed together by a cable 51, and the two front barges 46, at their front ends, are lashed together by a cable 52. These cables 50, 51 and 52 hold the laterally spaced barges 46 drawn tight against the spacing frame 48 and prevent lateral separation of said barges which would release said frames.

It is important to note that the channel 47 is aligned with the tunnel 20 and the purpose of this channel is to permit a full flow of water therethrough to the tunnel 20.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. A boat hull, a paddle wheel having a shaft mounted on the hull, a motor, and driving connections from the motor to'the paddle wheel, said motor being mounted in part on said shaft to partake of angular movements therewith in respect to the hull to keep said driving connections aligned.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in meterh eh. s id meta li .iurth transmitte .in

p on the a te imereme t iniuresp et thereto. I

f A qetihulhalpaddl iw ee thavin ia in eenheetien 4 1 11 th metarst th pedd -Wh l, sa h meter @he hs Jaeeted W at ea h an -Q l th stradd whee lend ah ted i par 1 sa d shaft t :nertak of angu a m remeh ith zew t in re pee th hul it a ep said idri iagmnneetiehs s ienpoeit asi e e the i eeese, he meddl Wh e i sai reces iqaii a e ith ishett, p imetersi auhte'd in p rh ans sair haf nd in Alpert 1 i th ihh l, ah i sa het-sid line)? the cess, said m te s-Ming held 112 1133 it k tef th iane la uhieremeate e it i he in, 'eepee ite h ihall, an dr rings ehne eh tram ea h meta rt h paddl h e helu iagi en iee a ifli padd Whe n .-,a1 ii %Q%h xPH JPN i U ten h iflh eemhhwtie witha hea h dLhe ihs e e eee in sit tem, 'Q e i t n v rs eheft nemies said r es an ha ing i lend p r ehe m unt sen rth hul re naehll whee ieni eh i withihlhh i r eeesa mete having e re aphi tish reasw t w h a in e iwh i tenttheihallstwetweand th other twopf Whiehjare gn the shaft, and driving connections from the motor to the paddle wheel.

6. The combination with a boat hull having a recess in its stern, of a transverse shaft spanning said recess and having its end ortions mounted onthe hull, a paddle w eel on the shaft within the recess, a motor having a three-point suspension, one bearing of which is on the hull structure in the form of a ball and socket joint and the other two of which are on the shaft, and driving connections from the motor to the paddle wheel.

7. The combination with a boat hull having a recess in its stern, of a transverse shaft spanning said recess and having its end portions .mounted on the hull, a paddle wheel on the shaft within the recess, a motor having three-point suspension, one bearing of which is on the hull structure and the other two of which are on the shaft, and driving connections from the motor to the paddle Wheel comprising a spur pinion on the shaft of the motor and an intermeshing spur gear on the paddle wheel. s

8. The combination with a boat hull having a recess in its stern, of a transverse shaft spanning said recess and having its end portions mounted on the hull, a paddle wheel on the shaft within the recess, said shaft being fixed, a motor having a three-point suspension, one bearing of which is rockairi e mar edi-snithe hal etzuet r aad the the itw i wh eh ar iiaumaler .a tth fi .V shaft an drivin eeaheet hne item h m t r t therm s wwhee v i i i h ea ahiee ia iwi a he hul he has a ree eei .i este a -tat h ers shaf mea in s id, fr e w an hav n hi ear P rtiah .e aehted en th ihalhj n edl Whe e ;-th e e m hht th h'e ees ahiete s-th .1 ha1 at e e eide- 'f h r ee eh vihs-i i 'e z aiat @WRWQQJ}, h heehing re e eh metqa e ee reekahlye pp i'te a hal ti'h tilreea ith ether-ti e he ri gs h reef ei see hheiehcfte ea i eawh ea h a d .iiieip dd --Wheelte d spu .pihieh emtii i ha eefithe m t an sm l n wit i sa seats i 4+0 :i lhe, eexe inat e w 2: eat el he a se esin ites e nsei a tra sv rse shah panni a tsa r ee s a h in ts-end ne tions mounted on the hull, a paddle wheel rtheieh f w th h heeeeesa .1 wat a th hul r e i-ee h d fpth u' ees aaadiha I IIQ rPQiM suep ne eh', Jan hearing h ehi wate bein r e mh mupperte e the; hu s u tu e nd the .ethe etwe hearin ther e b in a a th sha t ep reea an a l and e th waddl wh e "and t am pih e 01 t shaf (a -tth imo r and meehihe with wide are, se nacldl wnh e r e r 'lelhsitwh yPi d9 iQ $nQh of we i i dependen ly :F TiYQ hy the a te ut wh ch it i is eenneeted- 1.1; a -heathen, hernias.tanne i xtea iae longitudinally thereof and a recess in its Stern longitudinally aligned with said tunnel, in combination with a transverse shaft spanning the tunnel exposed in said recess and having its end portions mounted on the hull, a paddle wheel on the shaft within the recess, a motor having a three-point suspension, one bearing of which is on the hull structure and the other two of which are on the shaft, and driving connections from the motor to the paddle wheel.

12. A boat hull having a tunnel extending. longitudinally thereof and a recess in its stern longitudinally aligned with the tunnel, in combination with a transverse shaft spanning the tunnel exposed in said 11 recess and having its end portions mounted on the hull, a paddle wheel on the shaft within the recess, a motor having a threepoint suspension, one bearing of which is on the hull structure in the form of a ball and socket joint and the other two of which are on the shaft, and driving connections from the motor to the paddle wheel.

13. A boat hull having a tunnel extending longitudinally thereof and a recess in its stern longitudinally aligned with said tunnel, in combination with a transverse shaft spanning the tunnel exposed in said recess and having its end portions mounted on the hull, a paddle wheel on the shaft within the recess, a motor having a three-point suspension, one bearing of which is on the hull structure and the other two of which are on the shaft, and driving connections from the motor to the paddle wheel comprising a spur pinion on the shaft of the motor and an intermeshing spur gear on the paddle wheel.

. 14, A boat hull having a tunnel extending 1 longitudinally thereof and a recess in its stern longitudinally aligned with said tunnel, in combination with a transverse shaft spanning the tunnel exposed in said recess and having its end portions mounted on the hull, a paddle wheel on the shaft within the recess, said shaft being fixed, a motor having a three-point suspension, one bearing of which is rockably supported on the hull structure and the'other two of which are journaled on the fixed shaft, and driving connections from the motor to the paddle wheel.

i 15. A boat hull having a, tunnel extending longitudinally thereof and a recess in its stern longitudinally aligned with said tunnel, in combination with a transverse shaft spanning the tunnel exposed in said recess and having its end portions mounted on the hull, a paddle wheel on the shaft within the recess, a motor on the hull at-each side of the recess having three-point suspension, one bearing of each motor being rockably slipported on the hull structure and the other two bearings thereof being on the shaft, a

spur gear on each end of the paddle wheel,

having its end portions mounted on the hull, I

a paddle wheel on the shaft within the recess, a motor on the hull on each side of the recess and having three-point suspension, one bearing of each motor being rockably supported on the hull structure and the other two bearings thereof being on the shaft, a spur gear on each end of the paddle wheel,

and spurpinions on the shaft of the motors and meshing with said gears, said paddle wheel comprising two axially spaced sections, each of which is independently driven by the motor to which it is connected.

17. A' boat hull having a tunnel extending longitudinally thereof and a recess in its stern longitudinally aligned with said tun-.

1101, said hull having a pair of girders on each side of said tunnel, pairs of edestals mounted directly over the pairs 0 girders and rigidly secured in respect thereto, a

transverse shaft spanning the tunnel exposed in said recess and having its end portions mounted on the pedestals and rigidly secured thereto, and a paddle wheel journaled on the shaft within said recess.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANCIS M. HENRY. 

